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Reference Case Projections 1990 -2020, October 2007, the total coal mining related methane emissions (CMM) in 2009 and 2005 were 70.10 Tg (teragrams =one million metric tons), and 4.9Tg on a COZe basis for the U.S. and Colorado, respectively. Estimated total CMM emissions from the Proposed Action are approximately 19,379 short tons of CO2 equivalent (at full authorized production) or 0.025 percent and 0.358 percent of the total calculated CO2 equivalent emissions of CMM from the U.S. and Colorado totals. Based on BLMs analysis, all of the GHG emissions from the Proposed Action are equivalent to 0.0461 Tg on a COze basis. This represents approximately 0.0397 percent & 0.0007 percent of all the gross GHG emissions (does not consider GHG sinks, i.e., "net emissions ") from Colorado (2005 – 116.1Tg) and the US (2009 – 6,643Tg), respectively. If the calculated GHG emissions were compared with the global figures (2005 CO2 equivalent emissions of 26,544tg, —World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change, World Bank, 2010), the relative significance of the impact to the global scale of GHG emissions would be even further negligible. Regardless of the accuracy of emission estimates, predicting the degree of impact any single emitter of GHGs may have on global climate change, or on the changes to biotic and abiotic systems that accompany climate change, is not possible at this time. As such, the controversy is to what extent GHG emissions resulting from continued mining may contribute to global climate change, as well as the accompanying changes to natural systems cannot be adequately quantified. The degree to which any observable changes can, or would be, attributable to the Proposed Action cannot be reasonably predicted at this time. See cumulative impacts for further illustration. With respect to GHG emissions, the following climate change predictions were identified by the EPA for the Mountain West and Great Plains region (http://www.epa.gov/Region8/climatechange/pdf/ClimateChange 101 FINAL. pdf): • The region will experience warmer temperatures with less snowfall. • Temperatures are expected to increase more in winter than in summer, more at night than in the day, and more in the mountains than at lower elevations. • Earlier snowmelt means that peak stream flow will be earlier, weeks before the peak needs of ranchers, farmers, recreationalist, and others. In late summer, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs will be drier. • More frequent, more severe, and possibly longer - lasting droughts will occur. • Crop and livestock production patters could shift northward; less soil moisture due to increased evaporation may increase irrigation needs. • Drier conditions will reduce the range and health of ponderosa and lodge pole pine forests, and increase the susceptibility to fire. • Grasslands and rangelands could expand into previously forested areas. • Ecosystems will be stressed and wildlife such as the mountain lion, black bear, long -nose sucker, marten, and bald eagle could be further stressed. Environmental Consequences of the No Action Alternative: Direct and Indirect Effects: DOI- BLM -CO- 110- 2012- 0023 -EA 27